Lady&#39;s handbag



Aug. 2e, 1941.l B, R BRQDYv 2,153,682

LADY' s HANDBAG Filed July 1, 1959 5f EIEA/fH/U//v UBERTRUW INVENTOR ATTORN EY zg, MMM/KIM Patented Aug. 26, 1941 g-UNITED STATES ilwrsslr OFFICE Benjamin Robert Brody, New. York, N. Y., assignor to Harry Rosenfeld Inc., a corporation of New York Application July 1, 1939, Serial No. 282,519

(o1. o-f2s) U-shaped handbag frames such as are readily 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to womens purses, under arm bags, pocketbooks, or handbags and more particularly to womens handbags capable of double duty in normal use.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of structure whereby a single operation Yof the closure members or frame elements results'in the positive closing or opening of two separate bags or compartments.

Another object herein is the provision of a novel -handbag structure wherein independent compartments may be conveniently utilized for containing different classes or groups of objects. A Well known diculty encountered in the usual ladys handbag, and familiar to those individuals who use them or manufactureV them, lies in the fact that a decidedly heterogeneous mass of articles is usually carried in a ladys handbag. Cosmetic items such as lipstick, rouge, powder, mascara,fnail-polish, nail les, etc.,V are usually carried in the handbag completely mixed with such other items as passports, keys, and currency. When the user of the'handbag desires to remove an-article-such as lipstick in a crowded place where there is usually much jostling, this operation may result in the unconscious removal of such valuable items as amoney purse with a consequent loss thereof. Another disadvantage of earlier-constructions resides in the fact that frequently the individual containers in which the cosmetic items are used and sold permit leakage with the result that frequently such other items carried in a handbag as gloves or handkerchiefsniay become undesirably soiled. In accordance with the .present construction all of the cosmetic items or others having any tendency to soil are carried in. one compartment while other items having greater value or having other qualities making segregation desirable are carried in another compartment. Another object of the invention is the provision of such double duty handbag construction which is readily combined with known structure of a handbag so that the same becomes a harmonious part thereof, adding to, rather than detracting from the beauty and esthetic appearance of the handbag.

A still further object lies in the provision of a novel double duty handbag structure wherein the foregoing objects are accomplished in an economical and efficient manner and with consequent economies in the manufacture thereof. By means lof the present invention it is possible to manufacture a handbag having the above described qualities yet which makes use of standard and cheaply available to handbag manufacturers.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the following disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing showing one embodiment of the invention similar reference characters f designate corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the invention with the closure members or frame elements in a closed position.

'Figure 2 is an yend elevational View as seen from the right hand side of Figure 1.

Figure 3A is a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the closure members or frame elements in their completely opened position.

:Figure 4 is an end view in elevation taken similarly to Figure 2 but being slightly enlarged and showing the closure members or frame elements in a partially opened position.

VFigure 5 is a plan View showing a development or pattern for one of the pieces of material forming one of the pockets or compartments.

' Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing a development or pattern for the other pocket or compartment.

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of a handbag similar to Figure 1 in which a handle element, not shown in the other views, has been added.

The handbag generally indicated by numeral I0 comprises two pockets or compartments II and I2 which are integrated with closure members I3 including inverted substantially U-shaped frame elements I4 and I5.

The frame elements I4 and I5. are each composed of horizontal portions I6 and I1 which are provided with downwardly extending vertical portions I8, I9, and 20, 2l, respectively. The lower ends of the portions I8 and 20, and I9 and 2|, are pivotally connectedby hinges 22 and 23 respectively. The frame elements I4 and I5 are preferably formed up from channel stock which is substantially U-shaped in cross section, a Inode of construction vgenerally followed in the handbag art at the ,present time. This construction is also generally recognized as the basic and cheapest construction in the manufacture of handbag frames..

. Each of the compartments II and I2 is preferablyA formed up from single pieces 24 and 25 of material which may be of any suitable composition as'for example, cloth,.artificial leather or leather. The pieces 24 and 25 are substantially T-shaped in configuration and the shape thereof is best seen in Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawing. Pieces 24 and 25 include horizontal portion frame element attaching edges 26 and 21; and vertical portion frame element attaching edges 28 and 29, 30 and 3l, respectively. The pieces 24 and 25 also include partition forming edges 32 and 33; side edges 34 and 35, 36 and 31, 38 and 39, 40 and 4I, respectively, and gusset forming edges 42 and 43, 44 and 45; and edges 46 and 41, 48 and 49, respectively.

The pieces 24 and 25 may be assembled in one way as follows. On the piece 24 the side edges 34 and 38, and 35 and 43, respectively, are stitched together by folding the material (downwardly as viewed in Fig. 5) about the fold 59 and similarly the side edges 39 and 35, 4I and 31 are stitched together by folding the material about the fold 5 I. In forming the last mentioned seams known welting 65 may be utilized. The tab like formations of the pieces 24 and 25 are next folded about the folds (downwardly as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6) 52 and 53, 54 and 55. The edge 46 is connected to the portion 55 of the edge 32; the edge 48 is connected to the portion 51 of the edge 32; the edge 41 is connected to the portion 58 of the edge 33; and the edge 49 is connected to the portion 59 of the edge 33. The edges 32 and 33 except portions 56, 51, 58 and 59 are connected to each other. Edge 42 is then connected to edge 43 and edge 44 is connected to edge 45. The gussets generally indicated by numerals |50, 6I 62 and 63 are thus formed from folding the said tab portions about the folds 69', 6I', 62 and B3. The compartments II and I2 thus bein-g formed, the edge 26 is attached to the horizontal portion IB and the edge 21 is attached to the horizontal portion I1. The edge 28 is attached to the portion I8; the edge 30 is attached to the portion I9; the edge 29 is attached to the portion 20; and the edge 3I is attached to the portion 2 I.

The handbag IIJ now appears when closed as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and '1, when partially opened as in Fig. 4 and when fully opened as in Fig. 3. For purpose of clarity in the drawing, the details of structure and integration of the lining gen- CII erally indicated by numeral 56 has not been shown but generally speaking, the lining is made of the same size and shape as the pieces 24 and 25. The lining is thus integrated to form a handbag duplicate of the outside, except that it is composed of a lining material such as satin. The lining 6E is then inserted into the two compartments II and I2 and is affixed to the frame elements I4 and I5 simultaneously with the attachment of the edges of the outer casings to the compartments II and I2 as has heretofore been described.

The frame elements I4 and I5 are provided with any suitable latching device 61 and one of the frame elements is preferably provided with a handle 58. In Figure '1 although the handle 58 appears to be attached to the body of the frame elements I4 and I5, it is in fact however, attached only to the horizontal portion I1.

When the bag I9 is closed and viewed from the outside it gives the general appearance of the usual type handbag. When the latching device 91 is manipulated and the frame elements I4 and I5 swung open about the hinges 22 and 23 the interior of the handbag I0 appears generally as shown in Fig. 3. The gusset construction previously described causes the mouth of the compartments II and I2 to open up and the divider or separator B9 formed by the partition forming edges 32 and 33 previously described or the corresponding portions of the linings 66 lying thereover, serves to facilitate the easy segregation of different articles in the handbag into either one compartment or the other. This advantageous construction prevents articles from being dropped or lost in transferring them from one compartment to the other since the upper portion of the handbag III supported by the frame elements I4 and I5 forms an auxiliary rim or container and the lower extension of which forms two separate compartments. This construction just described is facilitated by the fact that the uppermost position of the divider is substantially at a level with the hinges 22 and 23. As is well known in the handbag art, the lining 65 may be provided with pocket structure 1l) when desired for holding small flat articles such as combs or cards, etc.

As may be seen in the drawing when the frame elements I4 and I5 are brought to their closed position and the latching device 51 is manipulated, the entire handbag III is closed and articles may not be lost from the bag or from either of the compartments I'I and I2. It may thus be seen that I have provided a novel and useful double duty handbag having a construction which is economical, extremely useful, easily operated and in which the individual compartments are absolutely secured when the handbag is in a latched condition.

i As may be readily observed in Figure 3, when the closure members or frame elements are opened they form an annular or continuous rim about the mouth leading to the separate pockets or compartments.

By reason of the many designs in which the standard so called double U type swing frames are available, the present handbag may be manufactured in any number of styles, economically, since it may take advantage of these frames which are readily available on the market in numerous styles. By reason of the fact that the external construction of the bag requires only two pieces of material, numerous economies result in the fabrication of the yentire bag.

The double duty or double use to which the handbagmay be put is not readily discernible but even when this construction is noticed it is of such configuration that it adds to the attractiveness of the handbag.

The foregoing description has been made rather detailed for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in View of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A ladys handbag comprising: rst and second frame elements; a plurality of pockets independently mounted and having the lower portions thereof disconnected each having an annular upper edge with a portion of reduced height, the said portions of reduced height being directly interconnected and free of connection with said frame, the remaining free edges of said pockets being connected to said frame elements.

2. A ladys handbag comprising: rst and second frame elements pivotally connected to each other at the lower portions of said frame elements; separate irst and second pockets or compartments, the lower portions of which are spaced and free of connection with each other;

the upper outer edge of the rst pocket being connected to the rst frame element and the upper outer edge of the second compartment being connected to the second frame element.

said pockets having the Walls thereof which are adjacent to each other interconnected at the upper edges thereof to form a divider, the upper edge of said divider being disposed, along a. substantial portion thereof, below the level of the 5 pivotal interconnection of the frame elements, y BENJAMIN ROBERT BRJODY. 

